Vancouver man gets prison for fake lead testing

Hmm, out of all the professions to impersonate, this man wants to be a lead inspector. Watch out! (Don’t worry, we are licensed and insured to conduct lead paint inspections)

VANCOUVER — A Vancouver man was sentenced to 14 months in prison Tuesday for performing bogus lead inspections.

Martin Glabes Kuna, 66, advertised his services online and told customers he was certified to test their homes for lead, said Gerri Badden with the U.S. Attorneys’ Office in Oregon.

Kuna conducted at least 10 such inspections between May, 2008 and 2012, Badden said. In one case, he provided a false negative for lead detection and children in the home later showed increased lead levels in their blood.

Environmental Protection Agency investigators ordered Kuna to stop performing the inspections in January, 2012, but he continued to advertise and inspect homes until the following September, Badden said.

“Our first duty in society as adults is to protect,” U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon told Kuna during the sentencing. “The bottom line is, the actions you engaged in put children at risk. Our society just cannot allow that.”

An EPA spokesman said the federal investigation began after one family questioned whether Kuma’s services were legitimate.